Taking a multi-agency approach
Updated 24 November 2015
© Crown copyright 2015
This publication is licensed under the terms of the Open Government Licence v3.0 except where otherwise stated. To view this licence, visit nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/version/3 or write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gov.uk.
Where we have identified any third party copyright information you will need to obtain permission from the copyright holders concerned.
This publication is available at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/fgm-case-studies/taking-a-multi-agency-approach
The Manor Gardens Health Advocacy Project operates an FGM prevention service in North London. Manor Gardens employs a multi-agency approach, working with religious leaders, health professionals, human rights experts, safeguarding professionals and community leaders. This includes work within schools, community organisations, social and healthcare services, including a formal partnership with the African Well Woman Clinic. Manor Gardens has established strong partnerships with a range of statutory services in the boroughs where it operates, and hosts a quarterly FGM Forum with frontline professionals from the statutory and voluntary sector across London.
Manor Gardens works closely with safeguarding boards in all the Boroughs it operates in order to deliver FGM training to teachers, health visitors and social workers. Training is delivered by the FGM Specialist Midwife and a trained FGM Advocate from an affected community. Training focuses on understanding the cultural context of the practice and its health implications, recognising which children might be at risk of FGM and the potential signs, as well as role playing exercises on how to bring up the subject of FGM sensitively with members of affected communities. Training also references the multi-agency FGM guidelines and ensures professionals know how to access and use them.
Manor Gardens also collaborates with safeguarding boards in a number of North London Boroughs in order to deliver awareness raising lessons in schools. The lessons can be delivered as part of planned domestic violence or child protection lessons or as stand-alone lesson plans. Delivering FGM lessons as part of Domestic Violence or Child Protection training has the benefit of exploring FGM as one of number of different types of abuse, and promoting the understanding that abuse can take place across cultures and religions.
Manor Gardens has also contributed to the FGM lesson plan developed by Cambridge Education in Islington. The lesson plan raises awareness of the health consequences of FGM and alerts students to signs of risk. The lesson plan clarifies that FGM takes place across cultures and religions so as not to make some students more vulnerable to bullying and marginalisation. A Manor Gardens FGM Advocate delivers the lesson plan in Islington schools in partnership with Cambridge Education’s Healthy Schools Team. Feedback from students has been overwhelmingly positive.
Manor Gardens also provides a community facilitator for Islington Children’s’ Services case conferences and meetings with the school and the police regarding possible FGM cases. This service was agreed after discussions with Children’s Services who identified the need for an appropriate interpreter to be present at these meetings and the additional benefit of having a community facilitator who has specialist knowledge of FGM and understanding of FGM-affected communities.